Improvement in weather-vanes and pointers



J. 0. BRYAN.

Weather-vanes and Poipters.

Patented Feb za, ms.

five 2-0 72 THE GRAPHIC IO-PHOTO .-LITH.39&41 PARK PLACEJLY.

- WTJZnesses.

Mfr KVM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. BRYAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WEATHER-VANES AND POINTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 160,] 50, datedFebruary 23, 1875; application filed January 27, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CHAPMAN BRY- AN, of the city of Philadelphia,State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain Improvement inVVeather-Vanes and in Pointers for Indicating the Cardinal Points of theCompass; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full and correctdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a lighter, cheaper, moredurable, and better weather -vane and pointer for the cardinal points ofthe compass.

The system heretofore employed in the manufacture of vanes is to take apiece of brass or copper tubing, to surround the stafl that is tosupport the vane; then two pieces of smaller brass or copper tubing aresoldered to the center of the larger piece of tubing for the backbone ofthe vane. On the sides of the tubing is soldered whatever design isdesired, the design being out out of sheet metal. A weight beingattached to the short end, the vane is completed, excepting paint andgoldleaf for preserving and ornamenting.

The pointers are formed in two pieces, so they cross each other at rightangles, with a hole at point of crossing each piece. -They are thenplaced over the staff that sustains them, and are kept in their positionby a screwbolt passing through them and pressing against the stall. Withthis arrangement they cannot be kept or retained in their true position,while snow and rain freezing in the crevice between the staff andpointers causes the breakage thereof.

The same objection lies against the method described of constructing thevane. These objections I overcome or obviate by means of my invention.

I take four pieces of sheetiron, brass, or copper-two for the short endand two for the long end of the vane; cut out of these any desireddesign; leave a space on one side and end for a half-circle or groove tobe turned in, and a margin for riveting. I make the end groove a littlelarger than the staff that sustains the vane, so that the vane may turneaslly thereon, and with a margin for riveting.

The grooves along the sides are somewhat smaller, with a margin forriveting on either side thereof. The four pieces are then united,forming a tube, which is the bearing of the vane, and also a tubelengthwise of the vane, forming a backbone or stiffener, so as tosustain a weight at the short end. The two pieces of sheet metal arestamped up to lit the grooves on outside, where they cross and unite inthe center. One of these is placed on each side, and they and the foursheets of metal are riveted together. By this method a vane is madewithout any solder, lighter, stronger, cheaper, and more durable than bythe system of construction before described. The grooves can be turnedin on a forming-up machine used by sheet-iron Workers.

The staff that supports the vane has a piece of metal spun up so as tofit tightly around the staff, extending one inch over the top or downthat part of the vane that surrounds the staff; also, another tubularpiece spun up to fasten a half-inch above the lower part of the vanethat surrounds the staff, and extend one inch down on the outside of thesupport of the vane. By these two protectors no water or snow caninterfere with the Workin g of the vane.

The aforesaid mentioned vane rests on a washer made of yellow brass, andit (washer) rests on red brass balls, which revolve in a groove turnedinthe yellow brass which is the support of the vane. By this arrangementthere is less friction in the revolution of the vane.

The pointers are composed of four pieces, to unite in the center by twobolts, and by dovetailing the blocks they are made to join tightlyaround the staff, preventing the pointers leaving their true directions.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents the weather-vane and pointers. Adesignates the spun-up cap that is fastened to standard B, so as toextend over the top of V one inch. D designates the spun-up cap which.is placed a half'inch above the lower part of vane O on V, extendingover the outside of E one inch. These, A D, one surrounding the upperpart of V, and the other fastened to V and extending over E, keep allsnow and rain from the bearing of the vane O.

Fig. 8, F designates the cap, whichis stamped up of sheet metal to fitthe grooves O and N, as Fig. 2, and to extend on one side of vane O forriveting. Gr HI J, Fig. 1, designate the four sheets of metal after thedesign is cut out and grooves N and 0 turned in. The joint P is made tofit the riveted sheets. The four sheets and two caps are rivetedtogether, as represented in Fig. l. The rivet is marked 0. N and 0having the space for riveting of J extends over on I and H, and N and Owith a space for riveting of G extends over on I and H. On the reverseside N and 0 having the space for riveting of I extends over on G and J,and N and 0 having the space for riveting of H extends over on G and J.

By the above arrangement the tube V supports the vane 0; also the tube Wfor a stay or backbone for the vane C. To the short end of G, by thetube W, I can arrange a weight to balance the long end of G. Rdesignates a double or reverse groove turned in the long end of the vaneO, to be used in the tail and legs of animals cut out of sheet metal, tostrengthen them and keep them from bend in g. The upper part of staff Bpasses through the vane O, and screwed in support E, by which the vane Ois supported.

Fig. 2 represents one of the four sheets of metal of which 0 iscomposed. N represents the half-circle or groove that surrounds B and Odesignates the half-circle or groove for the tube W, the backbone ofvane C.

Fig. 3 represents the cap F, which is stamped up and placed on each sideof vane O, and is riveted to the four sheets of metal G, H, I, and J tomake C.

Fig. 4 represents the washer that lies between the tube V and red metalballs Q.

Fig. 5 represents E, which is of yellow brass, with a groove turned inon the upper side. Q, designates= the red metal balls. The yellow brasswasher, Fig. 4, is placed at the base of V, around staff B, resting onballs Q.

By screwing E in B the vane G is allowed to revolve around staff B on Q.They rest in a groove of support E.

By the aforesaid way of construction I procure a weather-vane that willnot weigh or cost one-half so much as, and be more durable and betterthan, those made on the former system.

In Fig. 1 L designates the four brackets or pointers. They ext-endoutward from the base of M at the angle of twenty-three degrees, with adouble support from the top and bottom of M, with a hollow spear beyondN S E W, the pointers. By making as aforesaid I gain a strength andstyle that has not been heretofore used.

Fig. 6 represents the center box of the pointers M. 'K designates thebolts which fasten two of the sides, passing under the upper support ofL, with screw and nuts to close it up tight to staff B. Y

Fig. 7 represents one of the two sides of M, with flanges S at top andbottom to fit T.

Fig. 8 represents one of the two sides of M, with bolts K, having a holefor bolt at U. The side of T extends over the center of the side of Fig.7, between S and S. (Shown in drawing, Fig. 6.) By this plan the block Mis dovetailed and bolted together, so that the weight of the brackets LL L L helps to clamp them in position, making a close connection to thestaff, preventing the entry of snow and water. They are not liable toget out of their true position.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. The improved weather-vane,consisting of four sheets, G, H, I, and J, with metal cap F on each sideof center, riveted together to form V and W of the vane, as hereindescribed.

2. The support E, having a circular groove provided with metal balls, incombination with the washer and bearing of weather-vane O, constructedof the four pieces of sheet metal as herein described.

3. The combination of the staff provided with cap A, extending over theupper bearing of the vane, and the vane provided with cap D, extendingover its lower bearing 011 the staff, as herein described."

4:. The block M, consisting of the four pieces, S S T T, each havingattached a bracket to/ indicate one of the cardinal points of thecompass, held in position and close contact with staff 13 by the boltsand nuts K K and dove-i, tailing, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

JAMES CHAPMAN BRYAN. Witnesses:

J os. T. K. PLANT, THEOPHILUS S. KIMMELL.

